Hats

ABSTRACT

The invention provides an imitation close-cropped rabbit&#39;s fur hat for religious men comprising a substrate and an outer layer of black flocking material attached thereto.

[0001] The present invention relates to hats and caps. More particularly, the invention provides an imitation fur hat of the type worn by some religious Jews.

[0002] Although the source of the custom is obscure, black hats are worn by many orthodox Jews. The hat serves several purposes—displaying allegiance to a particular group of Jews, and fulfilling the requirement adhered to by many ultra-orthodox Jewish sects requiring a double head covering, i.e. requiring that male Jews wear both a skull cap and a further hat there above.

[0003] In some circles it is the custom is to wear a hat made of close-cropped rabbit fur. Such hats are however expensive, and are easily spoiled by rain or sweat.

[0004] Below the age of 13 boys do not wear hats, but are provided with a skullcap and in some circles also with a black cap having a short forward brim.

[0005] A preliminary search of U.S. patents failed to provide any reference to the subject of the present invention.

[0006] It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to obviate the disadvantages of prior art hats and to provide a hat which can be manufactured at a moderate price by fabricating the hat from a substrate which can be adhesively coated and retain a flock made from cotton fibers or from synthetic materials.

[0007] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hat having a longer life and being more resistant to the elements.

[0008] The present invention achieves the above objects by providing an imitation close-cropped rabbit's fur hat for religious men comprising a substrate and an outer layer of black flocking material attached thereto.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a hat for religious men wherein said flocking material is selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, viscose fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers and mixtures thereof.

[0010] In a most preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided an imitation close-cropped rabbit's fur cap for religious boys, comprising a cap-shaped substrate including a small front rim, and an outer layer of black flocking material attached to the exposed outer surface of said substrate.

[0011] Yet further embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter.

[0012] It will thus be realized that by the use of low-cost vegetable or synthetic materials the hat of the present invention can be manufactured at a cost substantially below the present-day cost of a fur hat and thus serves to open a wider market for this item. Durability is improved, which is important to those who have had to replace a natural fur hat which became unwearable due to a deteriorated appearance.

[0013] The preferred method of applying the flock material is by electrostatic attraction. Techniques for the application of flock fibers to a substrate are known in the prior art. Electrostatic equipment, although usually used for separation or precipitation processes, is also commercially available for coating purposes. An adhesive-coated substrate is charged to a high voltage—typically 60-70 kV DC, and the flock is held in an application device and is charged at the opposite polarity. Operator safety is ensured by a device limiting current flow, a typical value being 0.15 mA when short circuited. Due to the attraction between the oppositely charged substrate/flock the short fibers impact the electrically-conductive adhesive coating and can be applied in a dense array, the fibers impacting and being retained oriented perpendicularly to the coated surface.

[0014] Various electrically-conductive adhesives are known, some being described in recent U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,361,716 6,392,306 6,425,772 6,433,055 and 6,433,057.

[0015] The invention will now be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments with reference to the following illustrative figures so that it may be more fully understood.

[0016] With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

[0017] In the drawings:

[0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective fragmented view of a preferred embodiment of the hat according to the invention;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged detail showing adhesively-attached flock material; and

[0020]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a boy's cap.

[0021] There is seen in FIG. 1 an imitation close-cropped rabbit's fur hat 10.

[0022] As will be seen in FIG. 2, the hat comprises a substrate 12, a conductive adhesive coating 14 applied to the outer surfaces, and an outer layer of black flocking material 16 attached thereto.

[0023] Preferably a rim 18 extends outwardly for a distance of 3-15 centimeters from the body 20 of the hat. The rim 18 is also covered with the flocking material 16.

[0024] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is seen a greatly magnified detail of the hat 10 for religious men seen in FIG. 1.

[0025] The substrate 12 is made of a material rigid enough to maintain the required shape of the hat. However there is no need for the substrate to be electrically conductive, because the electrostatic circuit is closed by means of the conductive adhesive 14 which retains the flock 16.

[0026] Advantageously the substrate 12 comprises acrylic-reinforced cardboard. The substrate 12 is coated with an electrically-conductive adhesive 14 which remains soft after application on the substrate for the few minutes necessary to complete the flocking operation. Curing of the adhesive 14 is effected by the method appropriate to the selected adhesive—solvent evaporation, heat activation, chemical reaction or exposure to moisture or to UV radiation. After setting, the adhesive 14 remains sufficiently flexible to avoid fracture under normal use of the hat 10.

[0027] Preferred flocking materials 16 are either a vegetable fiber, such as cotton, or a synthetic such as viscose fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers and mixtures thereof.

[0028] Advantageously the flocking material 16 is formed of a multiplicity of fibers having a length of between 0.5-3.0 mm.

[0029] The majority of the fibers are substantially in parallel array, with an end of the fiber adhering to the adhesive 14 applied to the substrate 12.

[0030]FIG. 3 illustrates a cap 22 for religious boys. The cap 22 has a substantially flat top 24 with depending peripheral walls 26. The cap 22 includes a small front rim 28.

[0031] An outer layer of black flocking material 16 is attached to the exposed outer surface of the cap substrate. The flock 16 can be electrostatically applied and adhesively retained, as described with regard to the hat 10 seen in FIG. 1.

[0032] It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An imitation close-cropped rabbit's fur hat for religious men comprising a substrate and an outer layer of black flocking material attached thereto.
 2. A hat for religious men according to claim 1, wherein said flocking material is formed of a multiplicity of fibers having a length of between 0.5-3.0 mm.
 3. A hat for religious men according to claim 2, wherein the majority of said fibers are substantially in parallel array, with an end of said fiber adhering to an adhesive applied to said substrate.
 4. A hat for religious men according to claim 1, wherein said flocking material is selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, viscose fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers and mixtures thereof.
 5. A hat for religious men according to claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises acrylic-reinforced cardboard.
 6. A hat for religious men according to claim 1, wherein said hat is provided with a rim extending outwardly for a distance of 3-15 centimeters from the body of said hat, and wherein said rim is also covered with said flocking material.
 7. A cap for religious boys, comprising a cap-shaped substrate including a small front rim, and an outer layer of black flocking material attached to the exposed outer surface of said substrate. 